FAQ - Browser Related (Check Browser, Java, Pop-up blockers, other Browser Issues, Opening Links)
How should I configure my browser?
You can check to see if your browser has been configured properly by clicking the link to "Check Browser" that is located on the Login Page. If you see all green checks then you browser is ready and your can login.
Green check
Green check
If you receive a red x, follow the instructions provided to fix the problem(s) indicated.
Red X
Red X
Run "Check Browser" until you see all green checks. You may find additional help at Blackboard - Start the Browser Tuneup (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window"). Also, two common problems that may show up when checking your browser are related to Java and Pop-up blockers. See FAQ in this section for more information on these issues.
If my computer does not have Java, why do I need to install it to use Blackboard?
If your computer does not have Java installed, you need to install it so you can add files, use chat, and use the HTML Creator. In addition, some other tools within Blackboard may not function properly if you do not have Java installed.
How can I find out if my computer has Java installed?
Run the "Check Browser" located on the Blackboard login page and if you see a Red X beside Java Check, then most likely you do not have Java installed.
How do I add Java so that my browser runs Blackboard correctly?
Go to http://www.java.com/en/ (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")
Do I need to uninstall old versions of Java, if Java is updated on my computer?
Most of the time, it is a good idea to uninstall old versions of Java because your browser may have issues with Blackboard when there are several versions installed. Instructions for uninstalling Java are at http://java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")
Why do I need to turn off pop-up blockers while using Blackboard
Blackboard sometimes uses small browser windows to deliver requested content & some pop-up blockers incorrectly interpret these small windows as pop-ups and block them.
How do I know if I need to turn off pop-up blockers?
Run the "Check Browser" located on the Blackboard login page and if you have see a Red X beside " Pop-up Blocker Check", then most likely you need to turn off pop-up blockers.
How do I turn off pop-up blockers?
To disable pop-up blockers in Internet Explorer on Windows go to Tools ->Pop up Blocker ->Turn Off Pop-up Blocker
To disable pop-up blockers in Firefox go to Tools ->Options->Content tab ->remove check mark from pop-up windows->click OK
To disable pop-up blockers in Safari, click the menu item "Safari" and then click "Block Pop-Up blockers" to remove the check mark. The menu closes and if you click the menu item "Safari" again you will see that the menu item "Block Pop-Up blockers" no longer has a check mark.
To disable pop-up blockers for other browsers both on the PC and MAC go to Start the Browser Tune-up (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")
If you have a search engine toolbar like Yahoo or Google, be sure to turn the pop-up blocker off there as well
The left menu disappeared in Blackboard. How do I get it back?
The Blackboard menu retracts automatically. There is a double arrow bar icon between the navigation and the course content that toggles the menu open and closed. Click on this icon to expand the left menu.
Why don’t some of the links work?
There are a number of reasons why some links might not work correctly in Blackboard.
Check that you don't have a pop-up blocker turned on by running the "Check Browser" on the Blackboard login page
Check that your Web browser is compatible with Blackboard by running the "Check Browser" on the Blackboard login page
If additional software such as Microsoft Word is required to view the linked document, ensure that you have that software installed and operating correctly
Contact your instructor with additional questions
Why is Blackboard slow to respond sometimes?
Several conditions can contribute to slow response times from Blackboard:
Peak Internet usage on the networks between you and Blackboard can contribute to slowness issues.
Blackboard is fairly heavy as Internet applications go. High Speed Internet connections are recommended.
Ensure your Web browser is configured correctly for Blackboard by running the "Check Browser" on the login page.
Review your computer's resources and turn off non-critical applications.
Why does it seem like Blackboard kicks me out sometimes?
Blackboard sessions timeout after 90 minutes of inactivity. Web Browsers DO NOT register typing as activity. If you're typing an assignment, assessment, or discussion submission for longer than 90 minutes, the session may timeout when the submit button is pressed. This means that you may lose your work. To prevent lost work, you may want to create your content in a word processor and then copy & past the content into Blackboard.
How do I address technical problems with Blackboard (e.g. Java plug-in issues)?
Troubleshooting Tips for Blackboard:
Ensure that your computer is setup correctly for Blackboard by running the "Check Browser" on the Blackboard login page
Close & Restart your Web Browser
Reboot your computer
Uninstall old Java versions & install the latest Java by going to http://www.java.com/en/ (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")
Contact Help Desk by calling (575) 646-1840 or by emailing help@nmsu.edu
How do I troubleshoot a download/upload problem with a file like a Word doc or PowerPoint?
Be sure that your computer has been setup to properly run with Blackboard by running the "Check Browser" on the Blackboard login page.
Oftentimes a file will not download due to security settings in Internet Explorer. If this is the case, try another browser like Firefox 2.0.x or 3.0.x
Another possibility is that you have a special character in the name of the file you're attempting to upload. Your files should contain no special characters (!@#$%&*) in their names.
When I download files like a Word doc or PowerPoint from Blackboard, I get a yellow bar that pops up in Internet Explorer. Every time I try to download a file I get redirected to My Blackboard page. How Can I prevent this from occurring?
When users install some of the recent updates for windows XP it activates different security settings in Internet Explorer. One of those settings is to block downloads automatically. When this is on, you will see the "yellow bar" when you try to download a file in Blackboard. When you click on the yellow bar and allow a download, the system boots you out to the MyBlackboard page before you can go back and download the file.
To get around this, when you have IE open go to Tools->Internet Options and click on the Security Tab. Then click the Custom Level button. Scroll down the list of settings until you get to the Downloads section. There you can Enable "Automatic Prompting for File Downloads" and also enable "File Downloads". This will get rid of the "yellow bar" issue. IE will now prompt you with the Open or Save screen whenever you click on any File to Download.
Also, you could try another browser like Firefox 2.0.x or 3.0.x
Can I use Blackboard with Safari 5?
You can, but it is not compatible yet so you may experience issues while using this version.
Can I use Blackboard with Internet Explorer 9?
You can, but it is not compatible yet so you may experience issues while using this version. If possible, use Internet Explorer 7 or 8. In addition, turning on the compatibility view in Internet Explorer 9 may improve Blackboard performance. To turn on the Compatibility view in Internet Explorer 9, click Tools and then click Compatibility view. A check mark should now appear beside the words "Compatibility view" when you click Tools.
FAQ - Browser Related (Check Browser, Java, Pop-up blockers, other Browser Issues, Opening Links)
How should I configure my browser?
You can check to see if your browser has been configured properly by clicking the link to "Check Browser" that is located on the Login Page. If you see all green checks then you browser is ready and your can login.If you receive a red x, follow the instructions provided to fix the problem(s) indicated.
Run "Check Browser" until you see all green checks. You may find additional help at Blackboard - Start the Browser Tuneup (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window"). Also, two common problems that may show up when checking your browser are related to Java and Pop-up blockers. See FAQ in this section for more information on these issues.
If my computer does not have Java, why do I need to install it to use Blackboard?
If your computer does not have Java installed, you need to install it so you can add files, use chat, and use the HTML Creator. In addition, some other tools within Blackboard may not function properly if you do not have Java installed.How can I find out if my computer has Java installed?
Run the "Check Browser" located on the Blackboard login page and if you see a Red X beside Java Check, then most likely you do not have Java installed.How do I add Java so that my browser runs Blackboard correctly?
Go to http://www.java.com/en/ (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")Do I need to uninstall old versions of Java, if Java is updated on my computer?
Most of the time, it is a good idea to uninstall old versions of Java because your browser may have issues with Blackboard when there are several versions installed. Instructions for uninstalling Java are at http://java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml (To open link in a new window, right click link and select "Open in a New Window")Why do I need to turn off pop-up blockers while using Blackboard
Blackboard sometimes uses small browser windows to deliver requested content & some pop-up blockers incorrectly interpret these small windows as pop-ups and block them.How do I know if I need to turn off pop-up blockers?
Run the "Check Browser" located on the Blackboard login page and if you have see a Red X beside " Pop-up Blocker Check", then most likely you need to turn off pop-up blockers.How do I turn off pop-up blockers?
The left menu disappeared in Blackboard. How do I get it back?
The Blackboard menu retracts automatically. There is a double arrow bar icon between the navigation and the course content that toggles the menu open and closed. Click on this icon to expand the left menu.Why don’t some of the links work?
There are a number of reasons why some links might not work correctly in Blackboard.Why is Blackboard slow to respond sometimes?
Several conditions can contribute to slow response times from Blackboard:Why does it seem like Blackboard kicks me out sometimes?
Blackboard sessions timeout after 90 minutes of inactivity. Web Browsers DO NOT register typing as activity. If you're typing an assignment, assessment, or discussion submission for longer than 90 minutes, the session may timeout when the submit button is pressed. This means that you may lose your work. To prevent lost work, you may want to create your content in a word processor and then copy & past the content into Blackboard.How do I address technical problems with Blackboard (e.g. Java plug-in issues)?
Troubleshooting Tips for Blackboard:
How do I troubleshoot a download/upload problem with a file like a Word doc or PowerPoint?
Be sure that your computer has been setup to properly run with Blackboard by running the "Check Browser" on the Blackboard login page.Oftentimes a file will not download due to security settings in Internet Explorer. If this is the case, try another browser like Firefox 2.0.x or 3.0.x
Another possibility is that you have a special character in the name of the file you're attempting to upload. Your files should contain no special characters (!@#$%&*) in their names.
When I download files like a Word doc or PowerPoint from Blackboard, I get a yellow bar that pops up in Internet Explorer. Every time I try to download a file I get redirected to My Blackboard page. How Can I prevent this from occurring?
When users install some of the recent updates for windows XP it activates different security settings in Internet Explorer. One of those settings is to block downloads automatically. When this is on, you will see the "yellow bar" when you try to download a file in Blackboard. When you click on the yellow bar and allow a download, the system boots you out to the MyBlackboard page before you can go back and download the file.To get around this, when you have IE open go to Tools->Internet Options and click on the Security Tab. Then click the Custom Level button. Scroll down the list of settings until you get to the Downloads section. There you can Enable "Automatic Prompting for File Downloads" and also enable "File Downloads". This will get rid of the "yellow bar" issue. IE will now prompt you with the Open or Save screen whenever you click on any File to Download.
Also, you could try another browser like Firefox 2.0.x or 3.0.x
Can I use Blackboard with Safari 5?
You can, but it is not compatible yet so you may experience issues while using this version.Can I use Blackboard with Internet Explorer 9?
You can, but it is not compatible yet so you may experience issues while using this version. If possible, use Internet Explorer 7 or 8. In addition, turning on the compatibility view in Internet Explorer 9 may improve Blackboard performance. To turn on the Compatibility view in Internet Explorer 9, click Tools and then click Compatibility view. A check mark should now appear beside the words "Compatibility view" when you click Tools.